Grabbing unmanned aerial vehicle based on soft vector propulsion nozzles

Abstract

The invention discloses a perching unmanned aerial vehicle based on a software vector propulsion nozzle, relates to the technical field of mechanical automation, solves the problem that an existing four-rotor perching unmanned aerial vehicle often has a pose coupling problem and is difficult to fully exert perching performance, and comprises a carbonaceous rack, the software vector propulsion nozzle and a circuit system, the top end of each software vector propulsion nozzle is mounted in a nozzle mounting interface of the carbonaceous rack, the circuit system is mounted on the carbonaceous rack, and the circuit system is electrically connected with the four software vector propulsion nozzles; the direction of the tail end of the soft vector propulsion nozzle is changed through the tendon rope collecting device, thrust is generated in cooperation with the ducted fan, then vector propulsion force is generated, vector propulsion and a soft mechanism are combined, and the environmental adaptability and maneuverability of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical automation, and more particularly to a homing unmanned aerial vehicle based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle. Background Technology

[0002] Multi-rotor autonomous aerial vehicles (UAVs) demonstrate significant advantages in complex and inaccessible environments due to their three-dimensional maneuverability. Small UAVs, in particular, offer substantial advantages over larger UAVs in terms of size, weight, cost, and operability, making them more flexible in complex environments. However, limited by wind interference and battery capacity, small UAVs still face challenges in endurance when performing long-duration observation and surveillance missions. To address this issue, researchers have proposed bio-inspired habitat technology, which allows UAVs to attach to environmental structures to achieve energy conservation, representing a crucial approach to improving endurance.

[0003] Currently, habitat technologies mainly include grasping, embedding, and adsorption methods. Among them, grasping habitats have received widespread attention due to their effectiveness in natural environments. Grasping mechanisms can be further divided into three categories: passive, active, and hybrid. Passive grasping habitats rely on impact force and their own weight to complete the clamp closure, offering advantages such as low energy consumption and simple structure. However, due to limitations in their mechanism, most can only achieve grasping in the vertical direction, resulting in insufficient adaptability. In contrast, active grasping habitats use motors or servo motors to adjust contact force and angle, enabling them to adapt to targets of various shapes and materials. However, they require more actuators and complex mechanisms, leading to a significant increase in overall energy consumption and weight.

[0004] Overall, whether active or passive landing, drones require precise attitude control. However, existing quadcopter landing drones often suffer from attitude coupling issues, making it difficult to fully utilize their landing capabilities. Structurally, current landing and flight mechanisms are mostly designed independently, increasing redundant mass and reducing structural reuse. Simultaneously, the relatively small size of the landing device compared to the airframe limits the drone's operational range. Future research trends focus on developing landing drones that combine strong maneuverability, high structural reuse, and good environmental adaptability to overcome bottlenecks in endurance and multi-scenario operations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the existing problems of position and attitude coupling in existing quadcopter homing drones, which make it difficult to fully utilize their homing performance, the purpose of this invention is to provide a homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A homing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle includes: a carbon frame 1, a soft vector propulsion nozzle 2, and a circuit system 3. The carbon frame 1 has four nozzle mounting interfaces 34 arranged at equal angles around its circumference. The top of each soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 is installed in a nozzle mounting interface 34. The circuit system 3 is installed on the carbon frame 1 and is electrically connected to the four soft vector propulsion nozzles 2.

[0008] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle includes a soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 comprising a fixed ring 25, a flexible tube 26, and a supporting foot 27. The fixed ring 25 is installed within a nozzle mounting interface 34, the top end of the flexible tube 26 is connected to the fixed ring 25, and the end end of the flexible tube 26 is connected to the supporting foot 27.

[0009] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle includes a flexible tube 26 comprising a PVC spiral skeleton and a PVC tube wall, wherein the PVC spiral skeleton is spiral in shape; the outer surface of the PVC spiral skeleton and the PVC tube wall are integrally connected; the inner walls of the fixing ring 25 and the supporting foot 27 are provided with internal threaded grooves that match the PVC spiral skeleton.

[0010] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle further includes a ducted thruster, which comprises a fan blade 28 and a ducted fan 29. The ducted fan 29 is mounted on the top of the flexible tube 26. The fan blade 28 is mounted on the output end of the ducted fan 29. The ducted thruster is used to provide lift for the homing drone.

[0011] The aforementioned amphibious drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle further includes: a collar 22, the inner wall of which is provided with an internal thread groove that matches the PVC spiral skeleton, and the collar 22 is installed in the middle of the flexible tube 26; the fixing ring 25, the supporting foot 27 and the outer periphery of the collar 22 are all provided with three circumferentially spaced wire holes.

[0012] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle further includes a tendon rope tethering device. Three tendon rope tethering devices are mounted on a carbon frame 1. The three tendon rope tethering devices are arranged at equal angles around the circumference of the fixing ring 25. The tendon rope of each tendon rope tethering device passes through a threading hole of the fixing ring 25 and a threading hole of the collar 22 from top to bottom, and then connects to a threading hole of the support foot 27. The three tendon rope tethering devices are used to realize the release and retraction of the tendon rope, thereby pulling the flexible tube 26 to bend and deform.

[0013] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle includes a tether tying device comprising a tether wheel 21, a rudder disc 23, and a rudder motor 24. The rudder motor 24 is mounted on a carbon frame 1, the rudder disc 23 is mounted on the output end of the rudder motor 24, and the tether wheel 21 is mounted on the rudder disc 23.

[0014] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle includes a tendon tether tying device comprising: a tether wheel protective cover 20, which is mounted on a carbon frame 1 and positioned above a tether wheel 21. The outer periphery of the tether wheel 21 is provided with a tether groove for winding the tendon tether, and the tether wheel protective cover 20 is used to limit the tendon tether within the tether groove.

[0015] The aforementioned homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle has multiple outwardly inclined support structures on the outer periphery of the support foot 27 to support the end of the flexible tube 26 and prevent the end of the flexible tube 26 from directly contacting the ground.

[0016] The aforementioned amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle includes a circuit system 3 comprising a control unit 31, an electronic speed controller 33, and a lithium battery 32. The control unit 31, the electronic speed controller 33, and the lithium battery 32 are all installed in the middle of the carbon frame 1, located at the center of gravity of the carbon frame 1. The control unit 31, the electronic speed controller 33, and the lithium battery 32 are electrically connected. The carbon frame 1 has multiple weight-reducing holes, and the fixing ring 25 and the servo motor 24 are all mounted on the weight-reducing holes of the carbon frame 1.

[0017] The present invention, by employing the above-mentioned technology, has the following positive effects compared with the prior art:

[0018] (1) The present invention designs a soft vector propulsion nozzle and changes the end orientation of the soft vector propulsion nozzle by a set of (three) tendon rope tying devices, which, together with the ducted fan, generates thrust, thereby generating vector propulsion force. By combining vector propulsion and soft mechanism, the environmental adaptability and maneuverability of UAV can be greatly improved.

[0019] (2) In this invention, the structure design of the grabbing drone based on the soft vector propulsion nozzle is achieved by connecting the soft vector propulsion nozzle to the carbon frame and using a circuit system and control unit to drive and control it. This enables the grabbing drone to achieve full-drive flight, object grabbing flight, and habitat in different environments. This can greatly improve the structural reuse rate and functional endogenousness of the drone, significantly reduce the weight of the drone, improve its endurance, and increase the number of operating scenarios.

[0020] (3) In this invention, the main components of the UAV are planar structures and 3D printed structures, which can be directly made from lightweight, high-strength materials and soft materials (such as carbon fiber sheets, PA12 nylon, PVC hoses, etc.). This design can greatly reduce the complexity of the manufacturing process, shorten the manufacturing time, and improve the efficiency of testing. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a front view of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a top view of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a soft vector propulsion nozzle for a capture-and-dwell unmanned aerial vehicle based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible tube of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle in a straightened state according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible tube of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle in a bent state according to the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the propeller mechanism of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the frame and circuit system of the propeller mechanism of a homing drone based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to the present invention.

[0029] In the attached diagram: 1. Carbon frame; 2. Soft vector propulsion nozzle; 3. Circuit system; 20. Cable pulley protective cover; 21. Cable pulley; 22. Collar; 23. Steering disc; 24. Steering motor; 25. Fixing ring; 26. Flexible tube; 27. Support foot; 28. Fan blade; 29. ​​Ducted fan; 31. Control unit; 32. Lithium battery; 33. Electronic speed controller; 34. Nozzle mounting interface. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0031] Please refer to Figures 1 to 8As shown, a homing unmanned aerial vehicle based on soft vector propulsion nozzles is illustrated, which includes: four soft vector propulsion nozzles 2, a carbon frame 1, a circuit system 3 and a control unit 31;

[0032] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 is used to provide vector propulsion force for the UAV to control its position and attitude in the air, and to provide grasping and holding force when grasping and perching. It includes a 12-bladed QF2611-4000KV ducted wind turbine 29 and three DS031MG servos 24 as actuators. Each servo 24, together with a 3D-printed cable reel 21, a cable reel protective cover 20, and a tendon cable, forms a tendon cable gathering device. Each tendon cable gathering device is arranged at 120° equidistantly around the ducted wind turbine 29 on the carbon frame 1. Each soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 is connected to the carbon frame 1 through a threaded 3D-printed retaining ring 25. The PVC flexible tube 26 serves as the main structure of the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2. It has a threaded 3D-printed fixing ring 25 and a support foot 27. The tendon rope coiling device connects one end of the tendon rope to the wire pulley 21 and the other end to the support foot 27. The direction of the end of the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 can be changed by changing the length of the tendon rope.

[0033] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the tendon cord retraction device is a line drive unit for retracting and extending the tendon cord; the tendon cord is wound around the cord reel 21, and the servo motor 24 is used to drive the cord reel 21 to rotate, thereby retracting and extending the tendon cord; the cord reel 21 is a servo disc; the tendon cord can be made of carbon fiber; the cord reel 21, cord reel protective cover 20, fixing ring 25 and support foot 27 are all made by 3D printing; the carbon frame 1 is made of carbon fiber; the flexible tube 26 is a PVC flexible tube.

[0034] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the circuit system 3 and control unit 31 include several circuit boards for controlling the movement of the drone. The drone is equipped with various sensors for real-time acquisition of attitude data and environmental information. These include: a BMI088 for attitude acquisition and a receiver for acquiring remote control signals. Additionally, the drone is equipped with a UWB module for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the ground station; these signals include current pose and desired pose information.

[0035] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the power components of the UAV include a ducted fan 29, a servo motor 24, and an electronic speed controller 33. The electronic speed controller 33 is part of the circuit system 3.

[0036] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the circuit system 3 and the control unit 31 are fixed to the center of the upper surface of the carbon frame 1, and the lithium battery 32 is fixed to the center of the lower surface of the carbon frame 1. The control unit 31 in the circuit system 3 is used to detect the drone's motion attitude, receive control signals from the remote controller, and send control signals to the power components (servo motor 24 and ducted fan 29).

[0037] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the soft vector propulsion nozzle-based grabbing and perching UAV includes four soft vector propulsion nozzles 2, a carbon frame 1, a circuit system 3, and a control unit 31. The UAV can switch between full-drive flight mode and grabbing and perching mode according to instructions, and can achieve aerial flight and grabbing and perching without changing the overall structure. Moreover, the flight mechanism and the grabbing and perching mechanism are integrated using the same set of drive actuators and mechanical structures.

[0038] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, in the full-drive flight mode, the UAV's line drive unit drives the soft nozzle to generate vector thrust, thereby generating vector thrust and torque on the airframe and changing the UAV's flight attitude, and can decouple the UAV's position and attitude for control.

[0039] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, in the grasping mode, the UAV's soft vector propulsion nozzles bend and clamp the object, such as... Figure 6 As shown; at this time, the nozzle angle of the aircraft is fixed, and the aircraft performs underactuated omnidirectional motion in the flight mode of a quadcopter UAV.

[0040] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation methods and protection scope of the present invention.

[0041] In addition to the above, the present invention also has the following embodiments:

[0042] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the size of the homing drone based on the soft vector propulsion nozzle is 260mm×260mm×200mm.

[0043] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the cable pulley protective cover 20 is used to prevent the tendon rope from coming out of the cable pulley groove of the cable pulley 21.

[0044] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the cable pulley 21 is engraved with cable grooves for cable gathering, guiding and pulling the tendon ropes during the movement of the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2.

[0045] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the collar 22 is fixed in the middle of the flexible tube 26 and has a thread hole on the outside to keep the direction of the tendon rope parallel to the axial direction of the flexible tube 26.

[0046] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the servo disc 23 is fixed to the cable pulley 21 by an M2×5 screw, and is used to transmit the torque generated by the servo motor 24.

[0047] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the servo motor 24 is model DS031MG. The servo motor 24 completes the winding and unwinding of the tendon rope by driving the cable pulley 21 to rotate.

[0048] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the fixing ring 25 is engraved with threads that match the flexible tube 26, and is fixed to the carbon frame 1 by three M2×8 screws, thereby achieving the fixation of the flexible tube 26.

[0049] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the flexible tube 26 is composed of a PVC spiral skeleton and a PVC tube wall, which can deform under the tension of the tendon rope, and supports the weight of the fuselage while guiding the airflow generated by the ducted propulsion.

[0050] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the support foot 27 has three outwardly inclined support structures, and the bottom end of the flexible tube is raised by 15mm so that the airflow can overflow smoothly, thereby avoiding the surge of the fan blade 28 of the ducted propeller due to airflow blockage when on the ground; at the same time, there is a wire hole on the outside for fixing the end position of the tendon rope.

[0051] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the carbon frame 1 has a thickness of 3.0 mm and is used to provide fixation and support for the soft vector propulsion nozzle, circuit system and lithium battery pack.

[0052] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 31 is used as the core main control module of the UAV to provide control signals.

[0053] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic speed controller 33 is used to control the rotational speed of the ducted fan 29.

[0054] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the lithium battery 32 is a 4S, 2000mAh battery used to provide power for the movement of the drone.

[0055] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the present invention addresses the structural design problem of territorial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by producing a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle UAV that combines full-drive flight capability with territorial ...

[0056] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the bending direction of each soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 is controlled by three tendon cord retraction devices at equal circumferential angles. When one or two tendon cord retraction devices retract the tendon cords, the end of the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 bends toward the tendon cord retraction direction.

[0057] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 is structurally designed, and the end orientation of the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 is changed by a set (three) tendon rope tensioning devices, which, together with the ducted fan 29, generates thrust, thereby generating vector propulsion force. By combining vector propulsion and soft mechanism, the environmental adaptability and maneuverability of the UAV can be greatly improved.

[0058] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the structure design of the capture and roosting UAV based on the soft vector propulsion nozzle is achieved by connecting the soft vector propulsion nozzle 2 to the carbon frame 1 and driving and controlling it with a circuit system 3 and a control unit 31. This enables the capture and roosting UAV to achieve full-drive flight, object-grabbing flight, and roosting in different environments. This can greatly improve the structural reusability and functional endogenousness of the UAV, significantly reduce the weight of the UAV, improve its endurance, and increase the number of operational scenarios.

[0059] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the main components of the drone are planar and 3D-printed structures, which can be directly fabricated from lightweight, high-strength materials and soft materials (such as carbon fiber sheets, PA12 nylon, PVC hoses, etc.). This design can greatly reduce the complexity of the manufacturing process, shorten the manufacturing time, and improve the efficiency of testing.

[0060] In a further embodiment of the present invention, all four soft vector propulsion nozzles 2 can achieve the grasping function under the action of the tendon rope tensioning device, and two or more can cooperate with each other to achieve the corresponding function. The soft vector propulsion nozzles 2 have a high degree of freedom in grasping. Based on the bending function of the soft vector propulsion nozzles 2, the territorial ability of the UAV can be further improved, which solves the problem that existing quadcopter territorial grasping UAVs often have position and attitude coupling problems and are difficult to fully exert their territorial performance.

[0061] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation methods and protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should recognize that any equivalent substitutions and obvious changes made based on the description and illustrations of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A homing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle, characterized in that, include: The carbon frame (1), soft vector propulsion nozzles (2) and circuit system (3) are provided. Four nozzle mounting interfaces (34) are set at equal angles around the circumference of the carbon frame (1). The top of each soft vector propulsion nozzle (2) is installed in a nozzle mounting interface (34). The circuit system (3) is installed on the carbon frame (1) and is electrically connected to the four soft vector propulsion nozzles (2).

2. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The soft vector propulsion nozzle (2) includes: a fixed ring (25), a flexible tube (26) and a support foot (27). The fixed ring (25) is installed in a nozzle mounting interface (34). The top end of the flexible tube (26) is connected to the fixed ring (25), and the end end of the flexible tube (26) is connected to the support foot (27).

3. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible tube (26) includes: a PVC spiral skeleton and a PVC pipe wall. The PVC spiral skeleton is spiral in shape. The outer surface of the PVC spiral skeleton and the PVC pipe wall are connected as one piece. The inner walls of the fixing ring (25) and the support foot (27) are provided with internal thread grooves that match the PVC spiral skeleton.

4. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The soft vector propulsion nozzle (2) further includes a ducted propulsion device, which includes a fan blade (28) and a ducted fan (29). The ducted fan (29) is installed at the top of the flexible tube (26), and the fan blade (28) is installed at the output end of the ducted fan (29).

5. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The soft vector propulsion nozzle (2) further includes: a collar (22), the inner wall of which is provided with an internal thread groove that matches the PVC spiral skeleton, and the collar (22) is installed in the middle of the flexible tube (26); the outer periphery of the fixing ring (25), the support foot (27) and the collar (22) are all provided with three circumferentially spaced wire holes.

6. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 5, characterized in that, The soft vector propulsion nozzle (2) also includes: a tendon rope gathering device. All three tendon rope gathering devices are installed on the carbon frame (1). The three tendon rope gathering devices are arranged at equal angles around the circumference of the fixed ring (25). The tendon rope of each tendon rope gathering device passes through a thread hole of the fixed ring (25) and a thread hole of the collar (22) from top to bottom and then connects to a thread hole of the support foot (27). The three tendon rope gathering devices are used to realize the winding and unwinding of the tendon rope, thereby pulling the flexible tube (26) to bend and deform.

7. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tendon cord gathering device includes: a cord reel (21), a rudder disc (23) and a rudder motor (24). The rudder motor (24) is mounted on a carbon frame (1), the rudder disc (23) is mounted on the output end of the rudder motor (24), and the cord reel (21) is mounted on the rudder disc (23).

8. The homing unmanned aerial vehicle based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 7, characterized in that, The tendon cord gathering device includes: a cord pulley protective cover (20), which is mounted on a carbon frame (1) and located above the cord pulley (21). The cord pulley (21) has a cord groove on its outer periphery for winding the tendon cord, and the cord pulley protective cover (20) is used to limit the tendon cord in the cord groove.

9. The homing unmanned aerial vehicle based on a soft vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the support foot (27) is provided with multiple outwardly inclined support structures.

10. The homing drone based on a soft-body vector propulsion nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circuit system (3) includes: a control unit (31), an electronic speed controller (33) and a lithium battery (32). The control unit (31), the electronic speed controller (33) and the lithium battery (32) are all installed in the middle of the carbon frame (1). The control unit (31), the electronic speed controller (33) and the lithium battery (32) are electrically connected. The carbon frame (1) has multiple weight reduction holes.

Images